The Main Challenges of Full-text Search, Part One

Note: This article was published previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. Three of the major online family tree/data base websites have implemented AI based full-text search and to some degree, handwriting recognition in the last three or so years. FamilySearch.org’s offering is called “Full Text Search” and includes handwriting recognition. The Full Text Search is available for free to...

Precision Inquiry: The real core of using AI for research

Note: This article appeared previously on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. When the current wave of generative AI came out, the main draw seemed to be the Natural Language Interface (NLI). The NLI is not Voice Recognition. Voice Recognition is the “ears” (turning sound into text), while a Natural Language Interface (NLI) is the “brain” (understanding what that text actually means)....

Researching Indentured, Transported, and Enslaved Ancestors

Note: This article was originally published on the Genealogy’s Star blog site. Note: The time links refer to the video. A “brick wall” is a common frustration for genealogists, particularly when an ancestor seems to “magically appear” in the American colonies with no discernible connection to an overseas origin. For many researchers, this missing link is not a matter of...